Atlanta permits are filed online in Accela and reviewed by the Office of Buildings, 404-330-6150. Rezonings go to your NPU, then the Zoning Review Board.

Last checked Oct. 6, 2026. Facts come from the Atlanta Department of City Planning’s Office of Buildings and Office of Zoning and Development pages.

The Atlanta Department of City Planning handles building permits, inspections and zoning in the city. Two offices do most of the work, both at City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave.: the Office of Buildings issues permits and runs inspections, and the Office of Zoning and Development handles zoning, rezonings, variances and lot splits.

Who to call

Step 1: research your property

Before you apply, check whether your lot sits in a historic, special or overlay district; those can need other approvals first. The city’s Property Info map shows a property’s zoning classification, land use code, neighborhood and NPU. Zoning verification letters are requested by email at zoningverification@atlantaga.gov.

Step 2: apply and pay

Most applications go through the city’s online portal, according to the permitting process page:

  1. Submit in Accela Citizen Access.
  2. Intake. Staff check that drawings and documents are complete, typically within 48 hours.
  3. Pay application or deposit fees online or at the cashier’s window on the first floor of City Hall. The Office of Buildings does not take payment details by phone or email.
  4. Review. Building, zoning and arborist reviewers, and agencies such as site development or traffic engineering, review the plans. The city says first reviews take 10 days to two weeks.
  5. Revise if reviewers comment. More than three rounds of review can bring extra fees or meetings.
  6. Approve. Final fees are invoiced, then permits and stamped plans are issued electronically. Keep a paper set of plans on site for inspections.

Zoning and development applications are accepted 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays; anything filed after 3 p.m. counts as received the next day. The planning information desk is open 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Thursday.

What changed in 2026

  • New building codes. Permit applications filed from Feb. 1, 2026, must meet the 2024 International Residential, Building, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Plumbing and Swimming Pool and Spa codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code, each with Georgia amendments.
  • Trees. The rewritten Tree Protection Ordinance took effect Jan. 1, 2026. Since June 25, 2025, any permit application that could affect trees needs a completed Arborist Meeting before it is submitted. Businesses that file tree permits or plans must register; private homeowners do not.
  • Structural drawings. Since Jan. 12, 2026, the Office of Buildings has suspended its review of structural drawings; they must still be filed and are the engineer of record’s responsibility.

Rezonings and the NPU system

Atlanta has more than 240 neighborhoods grouped into 25 Neighborhood Planning Units, the city’s NPU page says. The NPUs are citizen advisory councils, set up in 1974 under Mayor Maynard Jackson, that make recommendations to the mayor and City Council on zoning and land use. Each meets monthly; agendas and contacts are on the city’s Neighborhood and NPU Contacts page.

Body What it hears When and where
Your NPU Zoning, land use and other planning matters in its area; makes a recommendation Monthly, at its own meeting
Zoning Review Board Rezonings and special use permits; recommends to the City Council’s Zoning Committee Twice a month, 6 p.m., City Council Chambers, 55 Trinity Ave.
Board of Zoning Adjustment Variances, special exceptions and appeals Noon, City Council Chambers, on its 2026 schedule
Atlanta City Council Final vote on rezonings Full council meetings

The Zoning Review Board has nine members appointed by the mayor and council. Written comments for the record go in by 2 p.m. the day before a hearing. For the Board of Zoning Adjustment, applicants’ supplemental documents are due seven business days ahead, and public comments by email to bza-hearings@atlantaga.gov by 10 a.m. the day before. Rezonings that also need a future land use change follow the city’s Comprehensive Development Plan hearing schedule.

What this means for you

  • Check the Property Info map before you draw plans.
  • Planning work near trees? Book the Arborist Meeting before you apply.
  • Watch your NPU agenda: it is where neighbors get the first say on a rezoning.

Related: Atlanta neighborhoods, property taxes and who to call at City Hall.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a building permit in Atlanta?

Apply online through the city’s Accela Citizen Access portal. Staff check the application for completeness, usually within 48 hours, route it to building, zoning and arborist reviewers, and issue the permit electronically once reviews and fees are complete.

How do I find my zoning in Atlanta?

Type your address into the city’s Property Info map at gis.atlantaga.gov/propinfo, which shows the zoning classification, land use, neighborhood and NPU. Zoning verification letters are requested by email at zoningverification@atlantaga.gov.

What is an NPU in Atlanta?

Atlanta is divided into 25 Neighborhood Planning Units, citizen advisory councils that make recommendations to the mayor and City Council on zoning, land use and planning. The system was set up in 1974 under Mayor Maynard Jackson.

Do I need a permit to cut down a tree in Atlanta?

Tree work is governed by the city’s Tree Protection Ordinance, rewritten in 2025 and in effect since Jan. 1, 2026. Any permit application that could affect trees needs an Arborist Meeting first; call the Arborist Division at 404-330-6874.

Where does the Atlanta Zoning Review Board meet?

In the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave., with hearings at 6 p.m. and a 5 p.m. briefing. It meets twice a month and sends recommendations on rezonings to the City Council’s Zoning Committee.